If I lay here
by SkyeElf
Summary: The moments before the feast Cato and Clove share a moment.  Those three words are said too much, but they're simply not enough.  A bit gory. 90th fic!


**A/N: I don't own the Hunger Games. Inspiration brought to you by 'Chasing Cars' by Snow Patrol.**

**Also, considering I don't know much about either Cato or Clove, I'm hoping I don't mess their personalities up.**

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><p><strong>If I just lay here<strong>

For now silence reigned in the arena. It was them and District 12 that both had twelve tributes left. Left over was that sneaky girl that slightly resembled a fox and the big guy from eleven.

Cato and Clove had decided to rest for a few minutes, no matter how dangerous it was.

Cato plodded onto the grass, stretching out his legs. Clove remained with her back straight, her eyes and ears open for any attackers.

"Lay down for a second, will you?" Cato said impatiently. "District 12 is hurt, and they're most likely hiding, that Vulpes-girl won't attack – she's not stupid enough, and I can handle Thresh."

She knew it was true, but it didn't mean she felt they could relax. Hands seized her and pulled her back, forcing her onto the emerald grass.

"I wonder…"

"What is it?" She asked, staring at the clouds she knew to be fake.

"If I lay here – would you lay with me?"

"Cato…"

"Just hear me out." He cut across her, seeing a rabbit in one of the clouds. "We could forget the world."

"Highly unlikely." She sneered. "I don't even think we'll both be allowed to live once we kill the other four."

"Why do say that?"

"It's the Capitol." She shrugged. "They see no use for human life."

She knew she was endangering herself by saying it. In a way she was defying the Capitol. Not many had ever heard of it, especially from someone coming from her district, but in the arena she saw. She had lost the blindfold she'd been wearing all through her life. These games were awful. Especially to someone like Katniss Evrdeen – Clove hated to admit it.

"Promise me I can kill the girl?" She asked, her mouth quirking. She had a vendetta against her – her empathy was clouded by a sense of vengeance. She'd quite liked Glimmer.

"Only if you promise to make it a good show." He said; the smirk evident in his voice.

"How do you know me?" She teased. Silence followed for another few seconds.

"We did it all, Clove. On our own."

"Everything."

"We don't need anyone."

"But we do need some armour or something." The unspoken sentence was there. _To protect us from twelve. _They knew the girl was lethal with a bow. Just take their ally that killed the little girl – Rue. One shot and he was dead.

"I know. But we need just one. I'll always protect you."

She glanced at him, startled by the words. He was staring at her, an unknown expression clouding his face.

"I don't… really know how to say how I feel." He went on, returning his gaze to the fabricated clouds. Now there was a mockingjay. "Those certain three words are said way too much."

"They're not enough." She reasoned.

"How about this: All that I am now, I hate. But all that I was – I see it in your eyes. You make me feel like I'm eleven again, and we're playing some silly game. It's scary to think that I need you to find my own."

"I didn't know you could say something so deep, Cato."

He moved his head to look at her again.

"We sometimes forget what we're told." He smiled at the clouds.

Trumpets flared, causing both teenagers to jump upright. Ceaser Flickerman's voice sounded through the arena. He was inviting them to a feast. Saying in the feast was something they all needed.

Before the sentence was over, Cato had risen; his hand extended to her. She took it, and he pulled her into his arms. His lips were on hers before she could react. He hugged her tightly, his arms her prison. For a fleeting moment she wondered if he was attempting to hug her to death, and the idea seemed laughable. Death by hugging. But Cato certainly had the strength for it.

Her eyes fluttered closed and she let herself melt into him. If this was her death, she'd take it gladly.

He pulled back, letting her go.

"Sorry." He said sheepishly.

"Is it me, or did the great Cato just blush?"

He laughed. "I was a bit overwhelmed."

"By what?"

"What I feel for you."

"Wait… Cato can feel?" She teased him again. He slung an arm around her shoulder.

"I think so." He said speculatively. "Though I'm not entirely certain."

They walked to a nearby tree and sheltered underneath it for the night. Cato pulled her into his arms, now feeling a bit bolder. Their respective jackets were next to them, ready for action.

"Do you think District 12 will go?" She asked, frowning.

"Yes. But only she."

"Why do you say that?"

"I hurt her partner pretty bad. If he goes on bleeding, he'll die."

"So he won't be a threat?"

"I think a paper plate will be a bigger threat."

"Remember, I get her."

"Fine by me."

"I'll go out first, if things go wrong, you follow."

"Nothing will go wrong!" He insisted.

"Don't make this an ironic end." She said, snuggling up to him.

A few hours later he woke up, judging it to be only a few hours before sunrise. Two at most. He gently kissed Clove, successfully waking her up.

"It's time?" She asked. He nodded. It was never even discussed – they'd go to the feast. Even if it was only to kill.

They put on their jackets and trooped to the Cornucopia. They hid in the bushes, waiting for someone to show. The table was ready, backpacks lined it.

Soon enough the one girl, Vulpes, streaked across their line of vision. She grabbed the bag and was off before they could even think to attack.

Next came Everdeen. Cato squeezed her hand before she left. He watched her attack the tribute, waiting it out.

"Peeta!" Everdeen yelled – as if yelling for help. Cato spun around and started walking through the forest, bent on finding said boy and finishing him once and for all.

Then it hit him. Everdeen's not stupid enough to bring him here if they both could live.

"Cato! Cato!" She called him.

"Clove!" He answered. He was too far.

He ran back, seeing Thresh stand over District 12. He told her something, and she fled.

"Clove!" he yelled again, terror seizing him. She was on the ground. Thresh picked up both backpacks. Their eyes met – triumph blinked in Thresh's, and then he, too, had disappeared.

"Clove?" He said tentatively. He crouched down over her, knowing it could mean his end. "Clove! No!"

She moaned. He grasped her hand.

"Please, Clove, please stay with me." He begged. Tears made themselves known. "Please! Clove!"

"Th… Thresh." She breathed, and he understood. Her hand became limp in his, he let it roll out of his hand. No use holding on to a piece of meat.

_Boom!_

This meant war. He placed a lingering kiss on her forehead before clearing out. They would have to remove her body.

How he wished he had said those three words when she was alive.

He hunted Thresh for the rest of the day. When he found him, he didn't think twice, nor did he blink when he killed him. He took both backpacks and slipped on the armour, hating himself for not being able to save Clove.

. . .

He was exhausted, he was bloody, mangled and possibly a new mutation. After the fight wolves he wished he'd died. The pain was unbearable. He was a chewed up mass of meat. The wolves' four inch razor-sharp nails had cut out an eye and half an ear. The half of his left foot was missing, as was his entire right hand and half a calf. Blood seeped from everywhere.

There. In the tree. Everdeen. Her bow was aimed at him.

_Please._

He mouthed the word. The last thing he saw in his life was an arrow whizzing towards him…

He was back on emerald grass. Clove next to him, babbling on. He felt himself. Both eyeballs were there, his foot and calf whole, his hand there. Even his ear seemed to have regrown.

"Where are we?" He asked, finding his voice with a new ethereal quality.

"We're neither here, nor there." She answered, her voice sounding eerie. "But Glimmer's here."

When he sat up he saw her. He nearly hugged the district one tribute. The others were there too. Their allies. Some non-allies too.

But here, they didn't even think about killing. Here they were… neutral. Friends even.

He didn't know where they were, confused as hell – was it heaven or hell? Paradise or eternal fire? But, he figured, it was over. The games, the hunting, the hiding, dodging...

His hand stretched out, surprised to meet hers – he'd expected her to be ghostly.

They stared at one another and lied back down.

"I guess some things will never change for us at all." She said lightly.

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><p><strong>AN: Okay, so not exactly what I had planned when I started this, but I still liked it. I think I might just like this pairing. Anyways, please review!**


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